Questions remain as Aussies return to T20 after Cup heartbreak

Australia could spring a few surprises on England at the SCG on Monday night as they return to the T20 format for the first time since their shock 2024 World Cup semi-final exit.

The Aussies have a chance to officially retain the multi-format Ashes by winning the first of the three T20Is, but they will first need to quickly shift back into T20I mode having not played the shortest format at international level since October.

In the aftermath of that T20 World Cup campaign in the United Arab Emirates – which saw Australia cruise through the group stage undefeated before South Africa chased down an under-par 5-134 with 16 balls to spare in the semi-final – the feeling among the Australian brains trust was that they had the right players in the mix, but perhaps could review how and when they were deployed. 

"I think we learnt a lot from that game," batter Phoebe Litchfield told reporters of the World Cup semi in Sydney on Sunday. 

"We were pretty bitterly disappointed to be knocked out, but that's probably where you'll learn the most as a team. 

"We've reflected on it in our time since then and are keen to come out with a bang and just take the game on."

The Australian squad trained at the SCG on Sunday evening, with Ashleigh Gardner – the hundred-scoring hero of Friday's ODI win – notably sitting out running and fielding drills, while she also did not train in the nets. 

There has not yet been an update from the Australian camp around whether her availability for Monday's game is in doubt, but if she were to be ruled out, her absence would be a significant blow given her form with bat and ball throughout the one-dayers.

Come Monday night, all eyes will be on how Australia shape their star-studded batting order, and which unlucky members of their 14-player squad miss out.

Litchfield was not giving much away, other than saying she did not expect her role in the middle-order to change a great deal.

"Not a whole lot (changes) ... we're still pretty similar throughout the middle order," Litchfield said. 

"Our batting order is just ridiculous and I back all of our team to do the job, and my spot in the middle is to do the same. 

"I really enjoy it in the middle order and you look at the likes of Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Ash Gardner, they're striking the ball really well at the moment.

"The situation was always quite tough (in the UAE), the slow wickets, and if you give me an extra 20 balls, I probably won't strike at 160 … the position that we were in forced me to do that. 

"But I think in every game of T20 cricket, I'm trying to play the same way and trying to score as many runs off as little balls as possible."

The difficult batting conditions at Sharjah, where Australia played the majority of their World Cup games, made it difficult to produce their typical brand of attacking cricket, but they will still be pondering how, and when, to get the most out of their ultra-deep batting line-up. 

There are no question marks over Australia's opening pair, with the combination of Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney the most successful partnership, for any wicket, in the history of women's T20Is.

Australia could be more likely to move on from experiment of deploying Georgia Wareham at no.3 when a wicket falls in the Powerplay, after she hit 12 runs from 16 balls across three innings in the position during the T20 World Cup, but they could look to a more established batter to perform the same attacking role, with Phoebe Litchfield or even the uncapped Georgia Voll among the candidates.

Wareham meanwhile would remain a serious threat with bat in hand in the lower order; in the third ODI in Hobart she hit 38no from 12 balls at No.8 to propel Australia's total above 300.

Litchfield mostly batted at No.6-7 during the T20 World Cup and faced just 45 deliveries for the tournament, scoring 58 runs in total including 15no off 9 against India and 16no off nine in the semi-final.

Annabel Sutherland, who went into the tournament fresh of a dominant Hundred campaign, batted at No.8-9 and faced just nine balls.

Vice-captain Tahlia McGrath batted just three times at the ICC event, starting at No.8 before shifting to No.4 following Alyssa Healy's injury, scoring 68 runs at a strike rate of 103.03. 

Since that tournament, she has been shuffled down to No.7 in the ODI line-up and it remains to be seen whether that approach will be reflected in the 20-over format – however, McGrath will go in with renewed confidence following her 45-ball 55 in the final ODI.

Grace Harris, who has joined the squad for the T20 leg, made just one appearance in the middle-order at the World Cup – where she was bowled for a golden duck – before returning at the top of the order for Australia's final two games in place of the injured Alyssa Healy.

The Queenslander hit 148 from 70 balls in a 50-over domestic game against Tasmania last week to push her case for a middle-order slot.

Meanwhile, Australia expect to be confronted by a fired-up England on Monday, with the tourists needing to win all three T20Is and the day-night Test at the MCG to regain the Ashes.

"The way England play, they're very attacking, and I think they probably take the game on as well as any side in the world," Litchfield said. 

"We'll definitely not take them lightly, that's for sure. 

"We know how dangerous they are through their batting and their bowling."

Commbank Women's Ashes 2025

Australia lead the multi-format series 6-0

First ODI: Australia won by six wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by 21 runs

Third ODI: Australia won by 86 runs

First T20I: January 20: SCG, Sydney, 7.15pm AEDT

Second T20I: January 23: Manuka Oval, Canberra, 7.15pm AEDT

Third T20I: January 25: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 6.45pm ACDT (7.15pm AEDT)

Australia squad (ODI/T20Is): Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris+, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

England squad (ODI/T20Is): Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross*, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson+, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath+, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp+, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith+, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

* ODIs only; + T20Is only

Day-night Test: January 30 - February 2: MCG, Melbourne, 2.30pm AEDT

Australia Test squad: TBC

England Test squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

The rivalry resumes with a blockbuster series in Australia from Jan 12 - Feb 2. Learn about the remarkable 90-year history at the Women's Ashes Hub